Time of your Life
by Melodi
Summary: Harry and friend's last confrontation with Voldemort... what will happen? read to find out!!


The Time Of Your Life  
  
Hermione Granger stared out of the window and watched the beautiful English countryside fly by, all covered in an almost magical mist which descended from the gray sky above. She sighed. Never again would she be on this train, riding home from school to see her parents. Looking drearier than normal, the eighteen-year old girl glanced over at the other occupants of the train compartment. Harry Potter, comforting Ginny Weasley, whose tear-filled eyes brought through a new inner strength she never had thought possible for her to possess. Across the table from her, Hermione gazed lovingly at her boyfriend, Ron Weasley. Ron fiddled with the sleeve of his robes, while trying to think of happy things, like his love for Hermione. But nothing could get past the horrible memories of that fateful night when the world as we know it was almost lost. 'I should be trying to show some respect for the dead,' Ron thought to himself, 'not trying to forget about it altogether.' Somehow, not one of them could bring themselves to talk about the horrible experience, even though the world was now safe from the most powerful wizard of all time. Voldemort was no more, he had been killed in the final battle of Harry Potter and friends versus the most evil wizard mankind had ever seen. 'Why did he have to die? Why couldn't it have been Snape?' Ron's thoughts cried out in despair. The loss of the great man who had been a teacher, a protector, and, above all, a good friend. He had been lost in the fight for freedom. Ginny was still upset, her being a sixth year, she would have to survive another year at Hogwarts without Professor Dumbledore as the Headmaster.  
Harry sighed as he looked down at the beautiful, red-haired girl who was silently crying into his shoulder. Of all of the Hogwarts students, she was probably the closest to their old Headmaster because of her experiences with the Chamber of Secrets and more recently, her kidnapping. Draco Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins had captured Ginny and Dumbledore in order to lure Harry to Voldemort's camp and to take over Hogwarts. For three days, Dumbledore and Ginny were magically tied and guarded, waiting for help to arrive. The Headmaster had helped her find the inner strength which she needed to survive. A shiny silver tear slid down her cheek and landed on her bandaged hand. In a few weeks, her cut would turn into a curse scar, like the one Harry had on his forehead. Now, Harry wasn't the only person ever to survive the Avada Kedavra curse. Now, there were four survivors.  
  
**Another turning point,  
a fork stuck in the road.  
Time grabs you by the wrist,  
directs you where to go  
  
So make the best of this test  
and don't ask why.  
It's not a question,   
but a lesson learned in time  
  
It's something unpredictable,  
but in the end is right  
I hope you had the time of your life.**  
  
Ginny shivered and Harry put his arms firmly around her tiny figure, drawing her into a comforting embrace. 'How could Malfoy hurt such a sweet, innocent, and caring person like Ginny?' When he was informed by Professor McGonagoll that the Death Eaters-in-training were holding his beloved Ginny hostage, Harry wasn't sure who was more enraged, him or Ron. For Ron, his baby sister was being held prisoner by the most evil person in the world, and for Harry, one of his really good friends, someone he card about, someone he loved could be killed by the person who murdered his parents. As soon as they could, Harry, Hermione, and Ron flew to where Ginny and Dumbledore were being held hostage, accompanied by Lupin, Sirius, and Professor McGonagall, flying on Buckbeak. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were on their brooms, with Fawkes soaring above them, leading the way. Finally, they reached the camp, and it took all the strength they could muster to keep themselves from showing themselves and trying to foolishly save their two friends. But they must wait for just the right time. And waiting is the hardest thing to do when people's lives are on the line. Everyone of the group could remember it like it was yesterday.  
Hovering above the encampment, the unlikely group of friends could hear everything Voldemort and his associates, the Death Eaters, were saying.   
"Do you two realize that you are at the mercy of the most powerful wizard in the world? In all of history?!?!" Voldemort screeched at Ginny and Dumbledore.  
Looking up from her position on the ground, Ginny stared defiantly at the evil being which was half man, half snake. His transformations on the way to immortality were almost complete. "You're no better than anyone else! You're just telling yourself that, to conceal your inner weaknesses!" she spat at him.  
Voldemort looked fazed for a moment. No one ever dared to talk back to him, they were too frightened of death to say most anything, but beg for mercy. Throwing his head back laughing, Voldemort sneered at Ginny, shooting some dirt into her eyes with his wand. "You silly, silly girl! You don't know the true power of Lord Voldemort! Now, bow to me and join my ranks, Albus Dumbledore. I am the teacher now. You, Weasley, I have little use for you. You are just bait, and will be disposed of when your purpose is fulfilled."  
Albus Dumbledore, the merry twinkle lost from his steely gray eyes, bored his eyes into the cold dark slits which were Voldemort's eyes. "I will not bow to you, Tom Riddle." These words enraged the evil wizard more than imaginable.  
"I WILL NOT BE CALLED THAT BY ANYONE!!! MUGGLE NAMES ARE TOO GOOD FOR THE RULER OF THE WIZARDING WORLD! NO ONE CALLS ME THAT AND GETS OFF EASY!!" Still having a mix of fury and abhorrence on his face, Voldemort pulled out his wand and pointed it at the Hogwarts Headmaster. "Crucio!" the cold voice rang out from the clearing below. Watching in horror, GInny yelled, "STOP!!!!!!!!!!" just as Sirius nodded and the assortment of odd heroes landed in the clearing. Voldemort looked mildly surprised, and stopped using the second Unforgivable Curse on Professor Dumbledore. Grinning wickedly, he sneered at Harry, who was standing in front of his adult friends, flanked on either side by Ron and Hermione. "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Little Harry Potter, trying to save the day again? Well, that's not a surprise, I must say. But this time, it will be different..... you won't get away so easily. Wormtail! Untie the girl and the old guy! I have no use for them anymore. We shall leave them to die here, after we kill their rescue party." Voldemort laughed at the thought of Sirius, Lupin, McGonagall, and Harry, all dead. Wormtail scurried forward and released the two prisoners, but instead of taking them to a cage on the other side of the clearing, he went to stand beside Harry and Ron as Hermione helped Ginny support the Headmaster. Voldemort was bowled over with shock.  
"Wha- wha-- WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING???????" he spluttered angrily, with a mixture of surprise coming over his face. Wormtail flinched, then stood up taller than he ever had before. "I'm going to do the right thing for once. I'm tired of killing innocent people. I see now that I was in the wrong, but now, I'm going to do right. You will not hurt these people."  
Voldemort raised one eyebrow and burst out laughing. "You actually think you can stop me by telling me to? That's hilarious! But you won't be the first person to die. The disobedient old man is going to go first. Isn't that right, Professor?" he sneered. Continuing, "I will give you one more chance to come to the right side, the winning side. Bow to me!"  
Dumbledore came out in front of the group, hobbling without the help of Ginny and Hermione. "No matter how the wind howls," he said," the mountain cannot bow to it. I will never join you." he said quietly but firmly.  
Voldemort screeched, "Then all of you will die!!!!!!!!!!!" and reached for his wand. Just as he was beginning to say his first curse, Dumbledore let out a small, 'wait!' Voldemort paused and demanded, "WHAT?!?!?!"  
"Kill me! Do whatever you want to with me, but please don't hurt any of them!" Dumbledore said, quietly with a glimmer of hope in his voice. Voldemort laughed and said, "The last words of a true wimp. Avada Kedavra!" There was a flash of green light, and Dumbledore lay motionless on the ground, dead. Harry was shocked. All of his memories of the Headmaster came back to him-- the card inside the Chocolate Frog on the Hogwarts Express, his face being the first thing he saw when he woke up from confronting Voldemort his first year while trying to guard the sorcerer's stone, telling him about the young Tom Riddle after the Chamber of Secrets had been opened, learning about the day Sirius was framed for the murder of 13 people, him calling his name out after it had come out of the Goblet of Fire... the recollections, both good and bad, wouldn't stop flowing through his head as time seemed to freeze, making everything silent and still.  
  
**So take the photographs   
and still frames in your mind  
Hang it on a shelf of   
good health and good times.  
  
Tattoos of memories and  
dead skin on trial  
For what it's worth,   
It was worth all the while  
  
It's something unpredictable,   
but in the end is right  
I hope you had the time of your life.**  
  
"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" shrieked Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny as the smoke cleared and the figure of their beloved headmaster was found on the ground, not moving an inch. Then the four young students formed a wall, facing the evil wizard who had inflicted so much pain on the world. They would die without the terrors of Voldemort, or die trying. But they were too late.   
"Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort cried, as four green balls of light shot out of his wand, one each zooming towards Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and Ron. Ginny threw up her hand to shield her face and Hermione dove to the ground as the ball of light hit her knee, but Harry and Ron just stood there, not flinching at all as the balls of light hit them on their foreheads, Harry's reopening the lightning scar on his. All four of them were blasted in reverse and landed sprawled on their backs three feet behind them, at the feet of the three remaining Marauders and Professor McGonagall. In a blast of shining golden light, the curses that Voldemort had thrown at the young wizards and witches bounced off of the four friends, turned golden and reflected off of them into Voldemort, all four hitting him in the chest, knocking him backwards into a tree. Professor McGonagall gasped as Voldemort didn't get up after about 2 minutes.  
"Could he be... dead? After all this time? Is it possible?" she whispered with incredulity. Tiptoeing cautiously over to the fallen figure of the evil wizard, Minerva McGonagall crouched near his head and whispered, "Finite morbius?" and a small beam of white light shot out of her wand and into Voldemort's face, turning blood red and then a deep, dark black, confirming her suspicions. The evil wizard was truly dead. Standing and turning to look at the three Marauders, Professor McGonagall smiled. "The world's troubles are over for now. Let us bring the bodies of our brave warriors back to the castle. They deserve proper respect, to say the least." a single, glittering tear slid down her cheek as she walked over to hover over Hermione's form.  
  
**It's something unpredctable,  
but in the end is right.  
I hope you had the time of your life.**  
  
The tear gently splashed against Hermione's long, dark eyelashes as they fluttered back to life. Lying on her back, Hermione saw a figure shrouded in moonlight and cringed, before realizing it was Professor McGonagall, not Voldemort. Sitting up, she saw the three bodies of Harry, Ron, and Ginny. Ignoring the shocked stares and gasps of the four adults, Hermione crawled over to Ginny, who was lying unconscious next to her.  
Pulling out her wand, she whispered," Ennervate," hoping that like herself, Ginny had only been knocked out by the blast. Shifting positions, Ginny awoke and gasped. Next to her were the bodies of her brother and crush.... lying motionless, like Dumbledore was over by the other side of the clearing. Throwing herself on top of Harry, she began to cry hysterically. "WHY, WHY, WHY????!?!?!!" she wailed. Sirius came over to her and put his arms around her.  
"Maybe they can be saved," he whispered, and performed the same charm Professor McGonagall had moments earlier on Voldemort. Two white beams of light shot out of the wand Sirius held in his hand, with wisps of mist floating around them. Hitting the immobile faces of Harry and Ron, the rays of light brightened in intensity and turned a light shade of pink, then glowing bright gold and enveloping Harry and Ron in magical gold auras. Smiling, Sirius said, "There is hope. They are alive."  
With a new hope in their hearts, Ginny and Hermione both yelled, "Ennervate!" and pointed their wands at the two boys. Waking up and breaking the golden mists they were shrouded within, Harry and Ron got to their feet, their foreheads bleeding slightly where the curses had hit. Ginny threw her arms around Harry as Ron was smothered by Hermione. The grownups stood back as all four friends hugged and rejoiced that the others were alive. Then Wormtail stepped forward and spoke.  
"I realize now that I am in the wrong. I should have never listened to Lord Voldemort, but I was sucked in by the power that I was offered. I shall allow you to take me into the Ministry of Magic now. Thank you, Remus, Sirius, I could have never realized the error in my ways if you hadn't confronted me in the Shrieking Shack four years ago. Thank you." Plump little Peter Pettigrew walked over to Professor McGonagall, changed into his rat form, and walked willing into a glass jar she had Tranfigured from a small stone on the ground. Putting an Unbreakable Charm on the jar, she, Moony, and Padfoot turned to the huddle of friends on the ground. Sitting beside them, the seven 'freedom fighters' looked at each other. Remus Lupin was the first to speak.  
"Umm... this may seem like an impertinent question, but... indulge me. Why are you four still alive?"  
Lookin around the circle, everyone had facial expressions of bafflement mixed with curiosity, except for Harry. Ron, seeing this, said,"Spill it, Harry, I know you know something."  
Sighing deeply, Harry looked down at the ground. "Dumbledore died to save us. Just like my mom did when I was a baby. Professor Dumbledore said in my first year that when my mother had died to save me, she was using one of the oldest forms of magic, and that was why Voldemort couldn't touch me, and the curse had rebounded upon him, half killing him. Four curses rebounding upon him must have finally killed him instead of us."  
  
**It's something unpredictable,  
but in the end is right.  
I hope you had the time of your life**  
  
Gasping, Ginny turned to Professor McGonagall. "He's-he's dead?" she asked in a astonished voice. "We've finally ridden the world of the horrible terror of him?!?!?!?" The Tranfiguration teacher smiled at the youngest Weasley and nodded.  
Hermione smiled and took Ron's hand in hers. "Let's go home," she said, grinning. "I think we have been through enough for one night."  
Agreeing with her, Professor McGonagall quickly turned a stick into a Portkey and they were soon zooming back to Hogwarts, toting a convicted murderer, two dead bodies, three broomsticks and a hippogriff.  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Changing out of her robes in silence, Hermione smiled at the good times she'd had in school. Hopefully, the years ahead of her would be filled with laughter and love and her two best friends and their family, Harry, Ron, and the Weasleys. They were buying a larger house, and Harry and Sirius were going to live with them, at the wishes of the new headmaster of the school, Professor McGonagall. Just to take extra precautions, because many of the death eaters hadn't been caught yet by the Aurors of the Ministry. Malfoy and his father (who had been wrongly named, Lucius means 'bringer of light') had both been convicted and were sentenced to life in Azkaban. Thinking of what the future held as the train stopped, Hermione gathered her trunk and bag and walked off the train. Walking hand in hand with Ron, she passed through the barrier into the world of summer. Coming behind them was Harry and Ginny, who had stopped crying and was leaning her head on his shoulder as he pushed the cart with all of their trunks and animals cages on it. They were all going to The Burrow for the first part of the summer, before embarking on their separate vacations and such. Glancing back at King's Cross Station, Hermione smiled and got into the car, following Ginny, Harry, and Ron, all looking content with their love and happiness. Whatever the future had in store for her, she was ready.  
  
**It's something unpredictable,  
and in the end is right.  
I hope you had the time of your life.**  
  
Author's Notes: Hee hee, I had fun writing this... sorry to all the people who really like Dumbledore, I figured he'd do something like that for the safety of the world... yeah. I also wrote this at midnight in the middle of the summer. Please review, I want to know what you think!!   
  
Unfortunately, I don't own any of the Harry Potter Characters, or Green Day and their song. :( Thanks to J.K. Rowling for harry, so I could write this nonsense.  
  



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